Caturday

I'm not a cat person but this photo of a kitten with a knit toy is too cute to pass up! If I had cats, I would make them a lot of knit toys. I'm still hesitant to let my puppy Indy play with knit toys because I don't want him to think it is okay to play with all of my knit objects!

Photo credit Linda N. via a Creative Commons License

Microfluidics with Yarn

Microfluidics made of yarns and knots: from fundamental properties to simple networks and operations published in Lab Chip in 2011 shows a scientific article that is involves yarn! Safavieh and coworkers use cotton yarn and knots as the building blocks to make microfluidic circuits. This could be a way to make low cost microfluidic circuits!

Thank you, Keith, for the submission!

Viking Knitting

After my friends Caroline and Sam went to a museum in Denmark and found historic samples of viking mittens, I got curious about this method of "knitting".... and I then found this video. Viking knitting looks a lot like normal knitting, but it is created without having mutliple stitches on a needle. It also looks like it wouldn't unravel easily, more like a series of knots than a crochet piece of cloth.

Viking Knitting Exibit

My friends Sam and Caroline found an exhibit on Viking-era mittens at the National Museum of Iceland. They were kind enough to take some photos of this exhibit and send them to me.

A closeup of the Viking mittens.

The technique used was needle coiling, which you may have also heard in places called "Viking Knitting." Tomorrow, I will share a video on this technique as the knitting project of the day.

Description from the exhibit

Thank you, Sam and Caroline, for sending me these pictures!

Is summer knitting an oxymoron?

I found a cute article that discusses knitting in the summer. From this article, I learned two things: 1) new knitters aren't attracted to the hobby in the summer, while old knitters continue knitting (no real surprise there), and 2) some professional baseball teams have Stitch 'N Pitch games! Remind me to bring my knitting next time I go to a baseball game....

A lot of knitting designers prepare patterns for summer months in these summer knitting books.

Knitting in the News - Archives

KPOTD readers, I found something cool, but I am feeling blocked! While searching for current knitting news, I came across "News archive results for knitting:"

• May 22, 1937 Nerves Frayed By Boycott, Edward Turns To Knitting .Duke Makes ... Pittsburgh Press - all 149 news articles »
• Jan 25, 1942 Loud Protest Follows Sock Knitting Ban... St. Petersburg Times - all 16 news articles »
• Dec 5, 1959 Knotting, Knitting Among Princess Anne's Abilities. The Day - all 13 news articles »
  

Unfortunately, attempts to follow the links provided by google just brought me back to google.com. I now think I need to poke into knitting history! If you know of any knitting historical events, please let me know through the KPOTD submission form.

Discovery of Loopy Yarns

While flipping through the Fodor's Chicago 2011 Guide I came across an interesting image.

Apparently Loopy Yarns in downtown Chicago carries EVERY color of Cascade 220 yarn! This looks like a store that I will have to check out.

Dyeing Yarn with Kool-Aid Video Tutorial

Have you ever wanted to try dyeing yarn with Kool-Aid? (Warning, once you start dyeing yarn at home it becomes hard to stop!) I have been dyeing yarn this way for many years, but only recently have I started creating tutorials about it. I hope that you come to love it as much as I do!

Twilight Knitting Patterns

The Twilight series has a large following, so it comes as no surprise that fans are as excited to knit items from Twilight movies as they are from Harry Potter Movies. There are many free Twilight knitting patterns that will allow you to replicate accessories and sweaters you see your favorite characters wear.

"It Beats Knitting Squares"

I came across a scientific article from the journal of Nursing Mirror titled
Games therapy: it beats knitting squares. What could be better than knitting squares? I imagine that this scientific article would have to do with knitting, rather than just having it in the title. Where is my access to the journal archives when I need it? I cannot justify purchasing this article to read it... but I will continue on my quest for scientific knitting articles.

Longest Finger Knitting by a Team

Barbara Obermann led a team of fourth graders and volunteers in Austria that achieved the longest finger knitting in the world at 6188.8 m (20304 ft 5 in). Now that is a class project!

Hand Cranked Knitting Machines

Do you hate knitting long rounds of stockinette? Personally, I prefer working on non-repetitive patterns because the projects seem to go much faster. Knitting Machines could be the answer to those endless stockinette rows.

Now knitting machines like the one I've shown below aren't really that useful for many projects because you have no way to adjust the gauge... but there are many things you could do with knit tubes. What do you think?

Knit Advent Forest

So what is a knit advent forest? Well a bunch of mini cylinders that you can use to hide different candy. A mobile, 3D advent calendar!

Photo credit Sultry via a Creative Commons License

Knitting with Dropped Stitches

Yesterday I showed you a variation of knit dropped stitches, today I'm going to show you how to knit with dropped stitches.

Criss Cross

I remember when I saw my first dropped stitch scarf... The dropped stitches were crossed over one another. I tried to make it, and failed with my first attempt. Later, following the Crossover Stitch Scarf pattern, I was able to replicate part of the delicate nature I remembered. I was making this square for an afghan, so it isn't as delicate as I would do for a scarf... but the technique is the same.

The square I made myself with this variation of the dropped knit stitch.

OId Man Knitting

I love the focus and concentration shown in this picture.

Elderly Man Knitting Garments During Drive to Provide Goods to Servicemen During the War
Photographic Print
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dog slinky costume

Today's KPOTD is in honor of my new puppy, Indy.

Annie created an adorable Toy Story Slinky Dog Costume. I don't think I really need to describe it to you, because the photograph says it all! How cool is this?

Photo credit Annie Pilon via a Creative Commons License

Yarn Bombing with Ruffles

A lot of yarn bombing involves wrapping knit fabric around poles. This yarn bombing project caught my eye because it has a little more design than just a cozy around a pole. I love the ruffles!

In the time since I discovered the photo the owner has changed his sharing settings, so I am unable to share the photo here.

Pints and Purls

Pints and Purls: Portable Projects for the Social Knitter is a very fun read. The book focuses on projects simple enough to be portable, but interesting enough to make this book fun. The difficulty is based on an inebriation scale - the hardest patterns you could do after one drink, the easiest after three. This is a cute book with an interesting spin on a standard knitting pattern book. I recommend this book as a fun gift for any knitter (who enjoys going to bars, of course.)

Scientific Comparison of Knit Sock Fibers

Comparison of cotton and acrylic socks using a generic cushion sole design for runners - Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association

Now here is a scientific study that has some relevance to knitters. I don't know how many of you expect your hand knit socks to be used as running socks, but this study looked at distance runners wearing socks that were identical in make except for fiber content. The result? Inconclusive. Continue knitting your socks with your favorite fiber. (I am aware these are manufactured socks, not hand knit.... but this is still interesting for sock knitters to know!)

In honor of Indy!

I just got a new puppy (Indy, an American Eskimo) and I am so excited thinking about what I can knit with him! So today, I am going to share a picture of someone else's puppy, "A better scarf model."

Photo credit Aine via a Creative Commons License

A School of Fish

Do you like puzzles? If you do, you will enjoy this close up photo of a knit fish blanket. You make tons of these tiny little fish "tiles" and then they fit together to form a large blanket.

I like this photo because it really shows how to the pieces are connected. Why is it that I always end up finding more blankets that I want to make? I personally think that this type of blanket would make a great project for a group of friends to do for a new baby....

Photo credit Kelly Sue DeConnick via a Creative Commons License

Harry Potter Knitting Patterns

The Harry Potter movies may be over, but knitting never ends! Why not celebrate the series by making some free Harry Potter knitting projects? I have made many Harry Potter projects over the years, some are highlighted below. See my squidoo article to get more details on these free knitting patterns.

Alligator Scarf

The Persnickety Knitter's blog has a lot of really cute projects, but it was her "Silly Knitting" Post that caught my eye. I love the way the bobbles make the spine of the alligator. I hope that this WIP (Work in Progress) finished up okay!

Heterocyclic Hat

The heterocyclic hat knitting pattern is special to me because it was the spark that inspired many of my knitting designs.

Thank you, Audreym, from one knitting chemist to another.

Yarn Bombing a Shelter

This shelter certainly does look cozy. I think this is how I would like to decorate my (future) knitting studio... I particularly enjoy the fun little knit creatures that are hanging from the top of the shelter.

Photo credit Aine D via a Creative Commons License


Photo credit Aine D via a Creative Commons License


Photo credit Aine D via a Creative Commons License

Longest Finger Knitting

What is the largest project you have ever knit? What is the longest amount of time you've ever spent knitting a project? I have spent 4 years (working on and off) on an afghan. This is NOTHING compared to the record for the longest finger knitting held by Niklas Bernhard. I wonder how long it took him to complete 14,177 ft 9 in....

Knitting backstage

It is fun to see all kinds of people knitting during their downtime. Knitting backstage isn't uncommon, but I think that this picture of showgirls knitting is a lot of fun.

Showgirls Knitting Garments During Drive to Provide Goods to Servicemen During the War
Photographic Print

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Costume Baby Hat Knitting Patterns

It is never too early to start planning for Halloween, especially when babies are concerned. How can you take a baby around for Halloween while keeping them sufficiently warm? This list of free costume baby hat knitting patterns is enough to tempt any knitter, whether you are preparing for Halloween or not.

Happy Knitting!

Cables Untangled: An Exploration of Cable Knitting

Cables Untangled is invaluable as a stitch reference. The cables shown in this book are complex and simple. You won't pick up this book and think that you've seen all of these stitches before. This is the first knitting stitch dictionary that I have found that contains BOTH written and charted instructions. This is one of my favorite knitting references of all time, and I hope to add it to my personal library soon.

Knit Bikini

I have seen knit bikinis in stores, and these usually come with some kind of lining. Given how wet knit fabric can be stretched (and see through!) I would be hesitant to create a knit bikini for myself.

Photo credit Jason Shultz via a Creative Commons License

Props to anyone who creates a knit bikini of their own. Have you made one? Tell me all about it and it just may become the knitting project of the day!